Apparatus for charging storage batteries.



D. H. WILSON.

APPARATUS TOR GHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES. APPLICATION yFILED NOV*l 21, 1911.

. 1,126,570, Patented Tanza, m5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID H. WILSON, 0F RDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WILSON STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, 0F YORK, N. Y., .A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING STORAGE BATTERIES.

Specication of Letters Latent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

Application led November 21, 1911. Serial No. 661,639.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID H. WILSON, citizen of the United States, and resident of Jiidgewood, in the county of Bergen and State or' New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Storage Batteries, of which the following is a specification. n My invention consists of apparatus for chau-ging storage batteries which has many marked advantages over the systems now known.

One of the objects of my invention is to greatly reduce the time required to store electrical energy in a storage battery.

In accomplishing this result I charge the battery with a heavy amperage of current and then reduce it to a reversal, thereby creating a period such as will dissipate the resistance or obstacles to charging created by the heavy charge' so as to permit the heavy i charge to havean eiicient eii'ect upon said plates without undue dissipation of energy in the form of heat, and then chargewith the heavy amperage again.

The resistance or obstacles to charging at high current rate usually consist inv gases generated within the battery lby the heavy charging current which tend to insulate the said solution from the battery plates; or 'which tend to prevent the passage of current from one to the other.

Inpractice I employ a current for charging the battery of such large amperage as would, other conditions being equal, injure or destroy battery plates not provided with low resistance leading in conductors andv then reduce the amperage to about .O1 amperes reversed current per square inch of plate surface so as to allow gases to become dissipated or escape Jfrom the corrugations of the plate.

Another object of my invention is to evenly distribute the charge of current over the plates and corrugations and extend it from the outer portions of the corrugations to the innermost corners.

Another object of my invention is to cause the charge to penetrate into the plates to a considerable depth and to penetrate more or less evenly over the whole corrugated surfaces of the plates, thus preventing shedding of the plates. In some batteries the active material is in the form of thin ribs. In such batteries, when charged with a low charging -ing to the innermost recesses between the.

ribs, more firmly uniting them to the stiffer portions of the plate, prevents the scaling or shedding of the ribs.

When a small current is used for charging battery plates the charge takes effect upon the outer edges of the ribs to far greater eX- tent than upon th#` innermost recesses bctween them. As the edges of the ribs become enlarged they close up against each other and, if the charge is carried far enough, exert lateral pressure against each other with the result that'some of the ribs are broken or torn off from the plates. The

heavy charge on the contrary is distributed evenly over the ribs, the innermost recesses receiving practically as heavy a charge as the outer edges and the ribs are built up uniformly. The edges are not enlarged at the expense of the bases of the ribs. In other words the ribs are firmly united to the plates at all times and are not broken awav.

Another object of mv invention is to distribute the current evenly through the plates in such a way as to prevent their buckling. This is assisted by running an electrical distributor of high conductivitv and considerable surface area into the interior of the plates in sucha way as to enlarge the area of the contact between each distributer and its plate. This enlarged area oi' contact and the proper location of the distributors alsol prevent heating. The area of Contact between the distributers and plates is proportioned to the active area of the plates to insure there results.

Another object of `my invention is totime the periodical heavy charges of current'so as to insure the maximum charging effect and then when the creation of gases interferes with the eiicient charging, to again establish eiicient charging condi ti ons by the methods mentioned above. When the gases are dissipated sutliciently to permit another efficient charging the amper-age is preferably again increased up to the maximum amount which my battery construction makes possible and convenient.

auy

' switch.

Another object of my invention is to graduate the changes'of current from the high amperage to the conditions which dissipate -the obstacles to etlicient charging in such a Way as not to interfere with the general `working of the circuit and its efficiency, and

to prevent any reversal of the field coils of either internal or external, or any other suitable means; 'that is, theY amperage is increased by shifting into circuit Vlower re- ,sistance circuits, one by one which has the effect oincreasing the current step by step.

Another object of myinvention is to time the intermittent charging current, or the periodicity of its waves to get the quickest and best results. rlfhis is preferably done automatically by means of a motor of some kind, the speed of which is determined and which cuts in and cuts out resistances automatically in the shunt lield circuit and the frequency and form of the charging waves is predetermined and fixed to secure eiiicient results. The motor also manipulates the iields and external circuit by'means of the automatic A. further object is to vary the charge from a high amperage to the reversal without `disrupting orinjuring the windings of the charging machine or other windings in the circuits.

A further object is to make such variations periodically with a predetermined speed.

y.arrange the circuits so lused for charging such A `further object of my invention is to that they may be a battery, and at any time be sd switched as to charge an ordinary battery in the ordinary way by leaving the field coils in such a condition of activity as to enable them to be used with lsuch ordinary storage batteries.

tery as aforesaid. Fig. 2 is a top view ofof one of the said ln the drawings: Figure 1 shows my charging apparatus switched to such a condition that it will charge my special batthe connections of my battery plates. Fig.

3 is a sectional elevation of one of my series ofbattery plates with the electrical connections thereto. Fig. l1 is a side elevation plates.

- ln Fig. 1 myapparatus is shown in condition to charge my special battery B2, which is the battery shown in some of the ptherv fi ures of the drawings. When the switch is thrown to the position shown in the full lines-in Fig. 1 it accomplishes four functions. The charging machine D is conbut insulated from nected over the following circuits: Brush G1, shunt iield coil D1, conductor 1, brush Y R1, of the automatic resistance varying device R, contact plate R2 of the said automatic'resistance varying device R over one of the resistance coils R, connected between the said plate R2 and conductor 2, thence by Vway of conductor 2 to the brush G2. At the same time a multiple circuit is established from 'the brush G1 of charging machine D byway of conductor 5, contact point S2, contact point S4, conductor 6, contact lever S7, contact point S1, battery B2, contact point S, switch lever S10, `conductor v32, switch lever R1, conductors 17 and 2, brush G2, to the charging machine D.

rEhe series coi1 D2 is also short circuited by conductors 5 and 7 running to the contact points Sa and S1 respectively, which are united together by the switch lever S. IThe throw of the switch lever S also connects together the contact points Ss and S6 bridge contact S", which is mounted upon 11 over the conductor 4, the Iswitch contact the motor M, tothe terminal 12.

by the the lever S. The circuit thus established is traced from the terminal The terminals 11 and 12 are connected to any suitable -source of current to run the motor M. This is preferablyv run at a steadv speed. The motor M turns the worm R which operates the brush R1 mounted upon thev shaft R11 carrying the brush R1 as shown in Fig. 2. The'brush` R12, travels in the directionof the arrowR7 and may rest upon the 'contact plate R2, for the purpose of delivering a heavy amperage to the battery B2.

As the brush R1 travels over contact points R2, higher resistances R6 are introduced in the shunt field circuit, thereby reducing the amperage delivered to the batterv. CWhen contact R21 is reached, the coil R12 is energized. This opens the circuit between switch lever R1B and contact 30. thereby throwing the resistance 28 across the terminals of the battery B2 and reversing the battery current, for the purpose of dissipating the obstacles to charging created by the heavy amperage. The brush R1 engages contact R4 before leaving R21, and when the brush R1 leaves the contact R21 the condenser R15 connected to R1 protects the ield coils and other windings in the circuit from damage., The brush R1 then engages contact R51, energizing' coil R12 which 'restores the switch lever R18 to contact 30, reintroducing the batterv B2 into the charging cir-v cuit. The brush R1 travels from the contact plate R51 over the contact points R2 connected to varied resistance coils R2 by means of which the resistance of the circuit containing the' shunt step by step. The brush then.l passes to plate R2 which introduces the lowest resistance field coil D1 is .loweredl results.

l varying flow in the shunt filed coil D1 is varied and steadily increased in amount as the brush R1 passes from the contact plate R* to the contact plate R2 and steadily increases the amperage delivery 0I the charging machine D. As the amperage increases and flows through the battery B2 the battery is charged with a constantly increasing current. This current may be increased until the maximum charge which the battery B2 is capable of receiving is delivered from the charging machine. With the particular batteries shown in Figs. 2te 4a current of tions being equal, injure or destroy plates not provided with the lov;T resistance inserts may be delivered to the battery with eiiicient This amount may vary in accordance with the circumstances and conditions 'of use, the kind of battery to be charged,

and the speed at which it is desired to be charged. When the condenser R15 is intro-V duced intothe circuit in series with the shunt field coil. it substantially shuts off the current of the field coil and at the same time protects it and the other windingsoi the apparatus from injury. This ca uses a cessation of the current delivery from the charging machine so that no current is passed into the battery B2. At the same time the local circuit from the battery through the highresistance coil 28 permits a reversal of the current, or a discharge from the battery which dissipates the obstacles to charging created by the heavy charge with surprising rapidity. Any suitable prov-ision to take care of the current from the charging machine may be substituted in place of the broken circuit,iwhen the battery is disconnected from the charging circuit. The brush R1 again passes over the contacts as hereinbefore set forth, repeating the operation preferably periodically, intermittently and with predeter-v mined periodicity.

The periodicity may be varied at will by means of the rheostat M1, by means of which the speed of the motor M maybe changed so that the automatic resistance varying device R is timed to give the best results in connection with the particular sizes and designs of the batteries to be charged. When charging one thousand ampere hour batteries havingtwenty-nine plates with distributers having a cross sectional area of one-eighth by one-half inches.

I prefer to time this automatic resistance device so that it makes approxiabout @170 seconds.

mately 16 to 17 revolutions an hour. find that it may remain upon the contact R2 for The current is then stepped down in probably 10 seconds to the reversal through the contact R11. The brush R1 then rests upon the contact R4 perhaps nearly 20 to 80 seconds and then the circuit 'is rapidly stepped upso that larger and larger amounts iow through the.

batter-vas the brush R1 passes over the contacts R5 and reaches the contact R2. These periods of time preferably vary with various conditions so as te give the most eicient results. Villen 'it is desired to convert the charging machine so that it may be used in connection with ordinary batteries of low charging capacity the lever S is thrown over to the contact points S1 and S2, thereby leaving the shunt field coil B1 on a closed` shunt circuit around the armature of the charging machine D and the series eld coil D2 in the external circuit, so that the charging machine may be used as one having a compound winding suitable for ordinary charging work, where it is used to charge batteries in multiple.

|The short circuit around the series iield coil D2 is at the same time opened between the contact points S2 and SJ of the switch. The compound switch lever S11 is then thrown over so that the switch lever S10 engages the contact point VS12 and the switch lever S7 engages the contactpoint S1?, thereby introducing thc battery of the ordinary type B2 into the circuit of the dynamo. The current is then delivered from the charging machine from the brush G1 through the series field coil D2, conductor 6, switch lever- S1. contact point S13, battery B2, contact point S12, switch lever S1", and conductor 18. switch lever R1", and conductor 2 back to the brush G2.

Figs. 3 and 4 show one set of my plates having the Ibus bars C1 of copper or ofA other metal of low resistance, electrically united to the distribut'ers C2 which extend into the interior of the plates C5. These copper conductors are preferably covered with lead of a non-porous nature applied inhot or plastic or liquid state by hydraulic or other heavy pressure between dies, and thereby protected from the acids of the batterV.

In Fig. 4 is shown a side elevation of one of the plates C5. The distributer C2 is shown passing through the plate in one of its longest dimensions. It may pass into the plate in any other way by means of which it has a large area of contact between the copper and the lead, thereby giving a large collecting surface for the copper conductors from the lead portions of the plate.

"lhe top view, Fig. 2, shows how the bus bars C1 and C2 are connected to the dis- S'tribters C?" and C" and how C1 and C* are alternated with ach other so as to furnish :paths for the current ofmore' or less equal resistance from the distributers of one set of 'plates to the distributers of the other set of In operating my method I throw the switch `S so thatit engages contact points S'and 'S-4 thus throwing the shunt field coils and the automatic resistance varying device into 'operative relation with the charging machine armature to vary the amperage delivery of the charging machine. The automatic resistance varying device varies the resistance in the shunt field coil circuit periodically, causing the charging machine "to deliver the current describedfor the periods stated, and then the amperage is dropped down by degrees to the reversal until. the gases have substantially disappeared,- and then `the amperage is again raised to0 a heavy charge. This process continues steadily until the battery has been charged, when it is disconnected from'the circuit.

In my apparatus if an empty storage battery is suddenly connected to the charg- 'ing circuit it is possible that the generator may develop too great an amperage for the battery. In this case it is desirable to intrduce a regulatorto prevent an over heavy charging current. For this purpose I have introduced inthe main conductor 2 a lcw resistance coil 14 and in shuntl with this coil -an electro-magnetic switch having a coil 15, and armature 16, and a contact 17.

When an excess of current flows over the main conductor 2 the pull of the coil 15 over-powers the pull of the spring 24, so that the armature 16 opens the circuit at contact 17. This has the effect Yof introducing the resistances 25 and 26 and as many more as-mav be desired into the circuit of the shunt ield coil D1. This is accomplished when relays attract the armature 27 and open the circuits at contacts 19, thereby opening the short circuits around the aforesaid resistances 25 and 26; Thereupon current flows lfrom the charging machine D over the conductor 20 through the resistance 21,-coils-18 andv conductor 22 back to the charging machine D. This circuit is bridged across the charging machine and is counted upon to energize .the relay coils 18 to attract the armature 27 when the circuit is opened at contact 17. When the current' from the charging machine has dropped below the required point the pull of the spring 24 over-powers the coil 15 and closes the circuit at contact '17 causing current to flow from the charging machine through conduc ter 20, resistance 21, conductor 23'. c tact l', relay neutralizing coils 18,,condu'c or- 22 and back 'to the charging machine. These neutralizingccilsl-.Shave thcct 0f. n!-

madam are bridged across the contacts. By means of these circuits the output of the charging machine is, when the brush R1- ot' the automatic resistance varying -device R rests uponA thecontact R2, maintained at a steady point. When the brush R1 travels over contacts R, R4` and R3, or at least when `the out-put of the charging machine is reducedI below Vthe maximum point, the regulator has noinfluence upon the operation of my apparatus. The various resistances and vshunts are adjusted in accordance with ordinary engineering skill to secure these re- Sll ts.

In place of the resistances '25 and 26 any other resistances may be substituted. as long as these resistance influence'the current flowing through the shunt field coil D1. It is quitey possible to use a single resistance 25 or as many resistances as the construction of the apparatus and the output of the charging machine may require for eicient operation.

Many variations o my apparatus may -be employed. It is not essential that the automatic resistance varying device R and resistance 'R8 be in series with the shunt field coils D1, -for they may be placed anywhere .in any circuit which will vary the amperage vcf the current delivery from the charging machine to the battery being'charged. Any

ether suitable device for varying the current may be employed in place 'of the automatic resistance varying device R, and any other suitable way may be used to vary the periodicity of the charge. Many other variations may be madev in my apparatus withvout departing from the spirit of my inwation.

1. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine providing a .sourcev of heavy charging current, an automatic resistance varying device. `means to connect4 said sourcel te chargel said storage battery, means to. disconnect said battery from said charging current and connect it to a discharging circuit, means switched into circuit to protect from injury the windings of the circuits, and meansoperated by said automaticresistance vto reconnect said lbattery to the charging current and disconnect it from the discharging circuit.

a, n cambi, to, s sciage bacca@ charging current and connect it to a discharging circuit, means switched into circuit to protect from injury the windings of the circuits, and means operated by said automatic resistance to reconnect said battery to the charging current and disconnect vit from the discharging circuit and switch said protective means out of circuit.

3. In combination, a storage battery, a

i charging machine `providing a source of heavy charging current, time controlled meansfor progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current to the battery in a series of arb1 'i traril iixed periods of eiiicient charging and tor providing intervals of reversal to .cause the removal of the obstacles to charging.

4. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine providing a source .of heavy charging current, time controlled means for progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current to the batteryA in a series of arbitraril fixed periods of eiiicient charging and tor providing intervals of reversal to cause the removal of the obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying'device.

5. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine providing a source of heavy charging current, time 4controlled means for progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current to the battery in a series of arbitrarily xed periods of eilicient charging and for providing intervalslof reversal to cause the removal of the obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device having changing resistance circuits.

6. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine having a shunt circuit containinv a shunt field coil providing a source of eav charging current, time controlled means or progressively charging the battery by causing the delivery ofthe heavy current to the battery in a s eries of arbitrarily fixed periods of eilicient charging and for providing intervals of reversal to cause the removal of the obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device havin changing resistance circuits located in the s unt circuit containingthe shunt eld coil adapted to' vary the degree of4 current applied to said battery at the ,beginning and end of 'each period. 7. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine having a -shunt circuit containing a shuntl field coil' providing a source ofheav charging current, time controlled means or progressivel charging the battery by causing the delivery of the heavy current to the battery in a series of arbitraril :fixed periods of efiicient charging and or providin intervals of reversal to cause the remova of the obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device having changing resistance circuits located in the shunt circuit containing the shunt field coil 'in series therewith, adapted to vary the heavy current to the atteryA in a series of arbitraril xed periods of efficient charging and or providing intervals of reversal to cause the removal of the obstacles toy charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device having changing resistance circuits and having means to automatically switch said changing circuits into the shunt circuit containing the shunt Field coil.

9. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine providing a source of heavy charging current, time controlled means for progressively charging the battery by-causing the delivery of the heavy current tothe lbattery in a series of arbitrarily fixed periods of eiiicient charging and for providing intervals of reversal tol .cause the removal of the obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device having means to disconnectthe battery from the charging circuit at the end of each period and to connect it toa reversing circuit, and at the beginning of each succeeding period to disconnect the battery from the reversing circuit and reconnect it to the charging circuit.

10. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine having a shunt circuit containing a shunt field coil providing a source of heavy charging current, time controlled means for progressively 'charging the battery by causngthe delivery of the heavy current to the battery in a series of arbitrarily fixed periods of efficient charging `and for providing intervals of reversal to cause the removal of the obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device having means to 'automatically switch said changing circuits into they shunt circuit containing the shunt field coil and having means todiscoimect the Ibattery from the charging circuit at the end of each period and to connect'it to a reversing'circuit, and at the beginning of each succeeding period to dis' `connect the battery from the reversing cir-` cuit and reconnect it to the charging circuit.

11. In combination, a storage battery, a charging machine having a shunt circuit containing a shunt yfield coil providing av source of heavy charging current, time c'ontrolled means for progressively charging the battery by ycausing the delivery of the heavy current to the battery in a series of arbitrarily fixed periods of elicientcharging and for providing intervals of reversal to cause the removal of the obstacles to` Y charging, said means consisting ofan auv into the shunt circuitI containing a shunt field coil providing a source of heavy charging current, time controlled means for` progressively charging the battery by'causing the delivery of the heavy current to the battery` in aseries of arbitraril fixed periods of eiicient charging and or ploviding intervals of reversal f to cause the removal of obstacles to charging, said means consisting of an automatic resistance varying device having changing resistance circuits located in the shunt cir`Y cuit containing the lshunt field coil adapted 'to vary the degree of current applied to said battery atthe beginningand end of each period and having means to automatically switch said changing circuits into the Ashunt circuit containing the shunt field' coil A charging circuit.

and havin means to disconnect the battery from the c arging circuit at the end of each i period and to connect it to a reversing circuit, and at the beginning of each succeeding period to disconnect the battery from 'the reversing circuit and reconnect it to the 13. ln combination, charging machine having a sliunt circuit vcontaining amshiint field coil providing a source of heavy charging current, time controlled means for the battery heavy current; to the battery in a series of arbitrarily fixed periods of eicient charging and forjproviding intervals of reversal to cause the removal of the obstacles to progressively charging a storage battery, a

by causing the deliveryvof the charging, said means consisting-of an automatic resistance varying' device having changing resistance circuits located in the shunt circuit containing the shunt field coil in series therewith, adapted to vary the degree of current applied to said battery at the beginning and endof each period and having means to automatically'switcli said changing circuits into the shunt circuit containing the 'shunt field coil and having means to disconnect the battery from the charging circuit at the end of each period and to connectit to a reversing circuit, and at the beginning of each succeeding period to disconnect the battery from the reversing circuit and. reconnect it to circuit. v i

Signed at New York inthe county of New York and State of New York yNovemberA.D.1911.

' -DAviD Hi; Winsen.

Witnesses: I i

Minion F.. HILL,

mi. L. Travis.

the charging 

